


Somewhere in These Feathers

by 221B Bitch (UndeservingHero)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fledgling Castiel, Fluff, Flying, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-08-16 03:44:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8085733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndeservingHero/pseuds/221B%20Bitch
Summary: Castiel is only a fledgling when Gabriel teaches him the wonder of flight.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a small bit of fluff I wrote for myself ages ago. I thought I'd posted it already.

They weren’t supposed to be down here. Not now. He’d never been one for rules anyway. And the little fledgling had fallen. 

He been hurtling toward Earth and no one could ever call Gabriel heartless because when he’d seen him, he’d put his wings to use, catching the little ball of feathers before he impacted. 

He had ahold of the fledgling’s hand as they walked down what would eventually be a grand road but was just a footpath for now. 

Big blue eyes, too intense to be set in such a young face, were looking around and taking in all of Earth that he could, the plants and the little birds that flitted about, even the insects. He was filing it away and keeping it for later, already learning his mission. 

Gabriel sighed to himself. “Castiel?” 

Blue eyes looked up at him from under black curls. 

“Why did you fall? Haven’t you learned how to fly yet?” he asked. 

Little fingers flexed around his and squeezed them as the fledgling looked at the ground under his bare toes. “No.” 

Gabriel was a bit surprised. “Why not?” 

“I am afraid of falling.” Castiel’s voice was quiet and he spoke to the ground. 

Gabriel hated to hear that much sadness out of someone so young, even though he’d been nearly the same when his brother had betrayed them. He squeezed the little fingers back. “Let me teach you. I promise I will not let you fall.” 

Blue eyes returned to look at him again. “You won’t?” There was hope there. Obviously no one else had given him that kind of promise. 

Gabriel nodded. “Have you spread your wings yet?” 

Black curls bounced as he shook his head. 

A small smile touched Gabriel’s mouth. “I will show you.” He slowly unfurled his tawny wings, big soft feathers dripping to graze the ground before he extended them all the way out to either side, a shadow wrapping around Castiel. 

Blue eyes watched with an intent gaze before little black wings slowly, tentatively opened, flinching and twitching until he got them open as he held Gabriel’s hand. 

Gabriel’s smile stayed in place. “You have it now. Let’s fold them back up.” He slowly folded them back so they laid against his back and watched as Castiel did the same, looking as if he were afraid it would hurt now that they were open. 

He leaned down and picked the fledgling up and held him close. “Hold on to me and I will teach you how to fly like I can.” 

Castiel nodded and wrapped his arms around Gabriel’s neck, his little sooty wings folding tight against his back as Gabriel’s spread wide. Great muscles lifted them and pushed down with a powerful thrust to get them airborne and Castiel’s grip tightened. 

He kept them relatively low to the ground to make the fledgling feel better. “Let go, Castiel. I will not drop you.” 

Castiel nodded and slowly let Gabriel’s neck go and the older angel turned him so he was facing Earth. “Spread your wings and feel the air, feel how it moves.” 

Castiel was tentative in his movements until he had them unfurled all the way, and he made a soft noise when a gust caught them and lifted them higher. He felt the updraft and his arms went out with his wings, completely trusting Gabriel and his own wings to carry him. 

Gabriel swallowed the lump in his throat as they passed over a wide river and he shifted his grip to hold Castiel’s hands above his head so he was almost pulling the fledgling as they glided on the currents. 

Laughter when they startled a couple of birds rang out and it made Gabriel smile. He’d forgotten what fledgling laughter sounded like after so long of being away from them. He’d forgotten what it was like to teach fledglings how to fly. 

He’d missed it more than he’d realized. 

Castiel gave a test pump of his wings and he bumped into Gabriel’s stomach and wobbled slightly but managed to recover. He grinned and looked up at Gabriel. 

Yes, he’d missed this much more than he realized. 

 


End file.
